Tequila. Misunderstood? Or the "next" vodka?
Tequila. Misunderstood? Or the When most Americans think of tequila, it brings them back to their college days - and unfortunately too often the memories tend to surround bad headaches or even worse.
The truth is that tequila is one of the fasted growing spirits with lots of growth potential. In order to merchandise tequila, it's critical that retailers understand that this distilled beverage is as complex as a fine brandy, scotch or vodka.
Tequila 101: It is a spirit that is made from the blue agave plant, which takes 8-10 years to mature, and can only be harvested once. The leaves of the plant are stripped away, which leaves a core that can weigh on average 40-70 pounds and can sometimes grow to 200 pounds. The agave core is then split and is baked, roasted or steamed in large ovens where the natural starch turns to sugar. Roughly speaking it takes 15 pounds of core to produce one quart of tequila as we know it. The cooked cores are then shredded, pressed and placed in fermenting vats where yeast is then added which converts the sugars to alcohol for 30 to 48 hours. The juices are then distilled twice. The first distillation produces a low-grade alcohol, the second converts the liquid to a fierier colorless product with alcohol content between 70 and 110 proof.
According to ACNielsen, the Ultra Premium Tequilas (those retailing for more than $26 a bottle) grew over the past twelve months by 41 percent, while the mixtos (with an average price less than $11.99) actually saw a sales decrease of just over 3 percent. The comparisons, and learnings, from the marketing phenomenon of high-end vodkas are immense.
There are two kinds of tequila: 100% blue agave and "mixtos" - the latter being distilled from a mixture of at least 60 percent blue agave and other sugars, which typically are the ones that are less expensive and brought on those terrible headaches. The Tequila Regulatory Council supervises the quality of each brand of tequila, and actually issues a certificate guaranteeing when a given product is 100 percent agave.
According to the NOM (Norma Oficial Mexicana) standards these are four types of tequila:
Blanco (sometimes called "silver" or "white")
Blanco tequila is not aged, is clear and transparent and must be bottled immediately after distillation. It is the base for all the other types of tequilas. It has the true bouquet and flavor of the blue agave and is typically strong in alcohol content.
Oro (sometimes called "gold" or "joven")
This tequila is Blanco, which is then "mellowed" with caramel or other coloring added to appear aged. This is the most common tequila sold in the United States and is widely used in margaritas.
Reposado (sometimes called "rested")
Blanco that is aged in white oak barrels or casks for more than two months and up to one year. A more mellow taste with a pale color.
Anejo (sometimes called "aged")
Blanco that is aged in white oak barrels or casks for more than one year, with each barrel capacity less than 159 gallons. The oxidation through the wood barrels gives it a unique bouquet and taste producing an amber color and more woody flavor.
Super (or ultra) premium tequilas are the fastest growing and although there are not yet NOM standards for this category, these tequilas typically are aged in different types of wooden casks and some for up to eight years.
Each bottle of tequila must show a NOM number on the label. Since some distilleries produce dozens of brands (and the basics of production within a distiller is the same) looking at the NOM number is a quick way for shoppers to compare quality and price, especially for private label tequilas.
And as an aside...about "that worm"....it's an invention of Hollywood! Tequila NEVER contained a worm. Mezcal is another spirit made from agave plants other than the blue agave and is distilled only once. A worm (white worms are more desirable than red ones) is placed in the bottle because the worm actually feeds off the agave plant and contains a concentrated essence of the plant and enhances the flavor.
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